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| Eddie Maher: Fugitive thief's £129k pension pot seized | Eddie Maher: Fugitive thief's £129k pension pot seized |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A fugitive thief who escaped justice for nearly 20 years after driving off in a security van containing £1.17m is to have his £129,000 pension seized. | A fugitive thief who escaped justice for nearly 20 years after driving off in a security van containing £1.17m is to have his £129,000 pension seized. |
| Eddie Maher was jailed for five years in March after being arrested on firearms offences in the United States. | Eddie Maher was jailed for five years in March after being arrested on firearms offences in the United States. |
| He vanished after driving away from Lloyds Bank, in Felixstowe, Suffolk, in January 1993. | He vanished after driving away from Lloyds Bank, in Felixstowe, Suffolk, in January 1993. |
| A judge at Ipswich Crown Court ruled Maher's fire service pension should be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. | A judge at Ipswich Crown Court ruled Maher's fire service pension should be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. |
| Maher, 58, who became known as Fast Eddie, worked as a cash-in-transit guard for Securicor. | Maher, 58, who became known as Fast Eddie, worked as a cash-in-transit guard for Securicor. |
| Declared bankrupt | Declared bankrupt |
| He was jailed at Southwark Crown Court after admitting theft. | He was jailed at Southwark Crown Court after admitting theft. |
| Maher's life unravelled when his son Lee King's disgruntled ex-wife Jessica King contacted US authorities to tell them he was a wanted man. | Maher's life unravelled when his son Lee King's disgruntled ex-wife Jessica King contacted US authorities to tell them he was a wanted man. |
| The ex-London firefighter and pub landlord, formerly of South Woodham Ferrers, in Essex, was arrested over immigration and firearms offences in February 2012 before being deported to the UK. | The ex-London firefighter and pub landlord, formerly of South Woodham Ferrers, in Essex, was arrested over immigration and firearms offences in February 2012 before being deported to the UK. |
| Maher, who told prosecutors he had only had a share of the £1.17m he escaped with, was declared bankrupt in 2010 with debts of more than £19,000 ($30,000). | Maher, who told prosecutors he had only had a share of the £1.17m he escaped with, was declared bankrupt in 2010 with debts of more than £19,000 ($30,000). |
| Det Insp David Giles, who led the Suffolk police investigation, said: "Although when arrested he had no assets or money, what he did have was a pension which had been accruing over the previous 20 years. | Det Insp David Giles, who led the Suffolk police investigation, said: "Although when arrested he had no assets or money, what he did have was a pension which had been accruing over the previous 20 years. |
| "It is pleasing to hear the result at court today and to know that some of the money, albeit only a small proportion, has been confiscated from Maher." | "It is pleasing to hear the result at court today and to know that some of the money, albeit only a small proportion, has been confiscated from Maher." |
| The court ruled the confiscated money should be paid back within six months, with £50,000 paid to G4S, formerly Securicor, and the remaining £79,000 given to insurers Equitas. | The court ruled the confiscated money should be paid back within six months, with £50,000 paid to G4S, formerly Securicor, and the remaining £79,000 given to insurers Equitas. |
| US properties | US properties |
| Judge David Goodin told Maher: "You will have six months to pay and, should you fail to do so, you will serve two-and-a-half years consecutive with your current prison sentence." | Judge David Goodin told Maher: "You will have six months to pay and, should you fail to do so, you will serve two-and-a-half years consecutive with your current prison sentence." |
| Maher appeared via video link from HMP Belmarsh wearing a grey T-shirt. | Maher appeared via video link from HMP Belmarsh wearing a grey T-shirt. |
| Asked if he understood the order, he said: "Yes sir, I understand." | Asked if he understood the order, he said: "Yes sir, I understand." |
| Hugh Gilmour, G4S director of risk, said: "Although the Securicor brand disappeared some years ago, the case has not been forgotten. | |
| "We are pleased that police and prosecutors will now be able to return a proportion of the sum he stole through the confiscation of other assets." | |
| After Maher's conviction, detectives revealed details of series of property investments which they said he funded from the proceeds of the crime. | |
| This included a house in Colorado bought with $120,000 (about £75,000) in cash just six months after the theft. | This included a house in Colorado bought with $120,000 (about £75,000) in cash just six months after the theft. |
| He later built a ranch on 80 acres of land in Colorado before moving around various US states. | He later built a ranch on 80 acres of land in Colorado before moving around various US states. |
| At the time of his arrest, he was working as a cable engineer in Missouri. | At the time of his arrest, he was working as a cable engineer in Missouri. |
| Suffolk Police have been searching for possible accomplices but so far nobody else has been charged in connection with the incident. | Suffolk Police have been searching for possible accomplices but so far nobody else has been charged in connection with the incident. |